Clean windows anyone?

[jonjel]

This caught my eye:

The London Fire Brigade was called to reports of a window cleaner's cradle in a precarious position due to high winds at the 72nd floor of the Shard on Saint Thomas Street in Southwark, SE1, today.

The Shard, when complete, will be the tallest building in Western Europe.

One fire engine from Dowgate fire station and one fire rescue unit from Clerkenwell fire station and around ten firefighters were called to the scene at 2.15pm.

On site engineers made the cradle safe at about 2.37 and the firefighters left at around three o'clock.


I must admit I had not given much thought to window cleaning at height, but surely there has to be a way of ensuring clean windows without resorting to a chap with a bucket and sponge leering into the office and mooning at the girls?

Any ideas anyone?

[marchesarosa]

There is, supposedly, self-cleaning glass, jonjel.

However, since the building is not yet complete maybe the exterior wash was to remove a heavy coating of construction-related dust that must be almost inevitable on a new building, no matter how sophisticated the attributes of the glass.

These windows don't open, anyway. The buildings are air-conditioned, so how do you get outside except with a cradle?

[jonjel]

Supposedly is the key word there MR.

I don't know how you get outside to clean them, but maybe for too many years one has assumed the 'you' get outside as opposed to 'how do we clean em without a man with or without a bucket'

I will get my inventors hat on and when it makes me rich and famous I will let you know....

[marchesarosa]

They are incredible brave, the men who do that job, jonjel

I am assuming no woman would be daft enough to do it. But then I'm a sexist, homopho .........etc etc.

[jonjel]

The only woman that would do it would be one built a bit like a hairy unskilled whatever, with a death wish!

I think I know someone I will recommend.......

Seriously, I don't think they do it off a long ladder you know, I think they are in a cage type thing which tracks up and down the building.

[principled]

Hi Jonjel
Pilkington have had self-cleaning glass for some time ( see: www.pilkingtonselfcleaningglass.co.uk/how-it-works/default.htm ).
Nevertheless, I'm not sure how it copes with pigeon droppings. In my experience these have an adhesive power greater than super glue!

These high buildings look impressive, but I've often wondered what would happen in a fire when the lifts are taken out of action. Walking down 72 floors is quite a feat, even for the fittest!
P

[jonjel]

They have a sprinkler system Principled.

They have one slight design flaw.....






Those on the ground floor exit the building on the crest of a large wave, accompanied by most of the office furniture.